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I am doing some reading into computer science and how the computing system works in order to be ready for my 1st year at university doing a Computer Science degree. I came across a term within the definition for a computer system that I tried looking up for on the internet called 'dynamic entity'. The problem is, I couldn't specifically find the definition I was looking for that could explain simply what it meant. If there is someone who could explain this term for me in a simple, but easy to understand, explanation, I would be very grateful. Thank you.

The link I got the term from: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=3ls6K2cJW_0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=computer+science+easy+reading&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjz2r_cuIfkAhUxonEKHWBZAu8Q6AEIKzAA#v=onepage&q&f=true

The term can be found on page 4 of the book, where they explain what a computing system is.

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  • $\begingroup$ In line with HEKTO's answer, the words are being used in their normal English language sense. $\endgroup$
    – Derek Elkins left SE
    Aug 17, 2019 at 0:14

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There are no scientific term "dynamic entity", so meaning of this pair of words can be well stretched. In this particular case they could write something like "A computing system ... is a dynamic system", but apparently they didn't like the repetition, so they have decided to use a fuzzy word "entity". Also, there is a mathematical term Dynamical System, which doesn't have anything in common with what they are trying to say.

Essentially they mean that there is a lot of parts in a real computing system, which can change with time - hardware and software can be installed and uninstalled, software can be configured in many different ways, data comes into the system and gets out of it and so on. Sometimes even users and people, supporting a complex computing system, can be considered as a part of it.

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  • $\begingroup$ The reason to avoid “dynamic system” is that this does have a specific meaning which is not ”a system that is dynamic“. $\endgroup$
    – Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'
    Aug 17, 2019 at 9:05
  • $\begingroup$ @Gilles - right, thanks, I'll add that $\endgroup$
    – HEKTO
    Aug 17, 2019 at 18:57

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